Idaho Matters

(ETHAN WEBBER / BOISE STATE PUBLIC RADIO) It's been a busy first week after the holidays. To break it all down, tune in to the Reporter Roundtable as reporters Heath Druzin of  Boise State Public Radio , Betsy Russell of the  Idaho Press  and Nicole Foy of the  Idaho Statesman  join us. Have a question or comment for the show? Tweet  @KBSX915  using #IdahoMatters    

(Otto Kitsinger / AP Images) Lauren Necochea is the newest Idaho lawmaker, appointed by Gov. Brad Little in December to replace former Minority Leader Mat Erpelding's seat in Boise's 19th District. Previously, she was the Director of the Idaho Center for Fiscal Policy. Necochea joins  Idaho Matters  to discuss her transition from policy to electoral politics.  Have a question or comment for the sh...

This segment originally aired on Feb. 4, 2019.  Wanna Know Idaho  asked Idahoans to submit questions they want answered about our state. In the latest edition, host Frankie Barnhill seeks to answer the question on everybody's mind - "what happens to the poop at Zoo Boise?" Barnhill joins  Idaho Matters  to flush out the answer. Have a question or comment for the show? Tweet  @KBSX915  using #Idaho...

(AP Images) After an American drone strike killed Iranian general Qassem Soleimani at the airport in Baghdad, many people around the world braced for possible war. Iran then retaliated with a missile strike on American bases in Iraq. Former State Department official and current Boise State University professor Steven Feldstein helps us make sense of the last week of tensions. Have a question or co...

(Elaine Thompson / AP Images)   Idaho is getting an almost $3.5 million federal grant to improve early childhood education. The Preschool Development Grant gives the Idaho Association for the Education of Young Children the ability to look at existing programs, measure effectiveness and find room for improvement. Executive Director of Idaho’s AEYC Beth Oppenheimer tells Idaho Matters more on what...

(KAREN BOSSICK / Eye On Sun Valley / Screenshot from YouTube Video)   Hailey’s Wood River Middle School has a new program for 7th-graders: “Drone Designers" teaches students to code and choreograph live drone performances to music. Joining Idaho Matters are curriculum designer Erika Liebel, Wood River Middle School Teacher Melanie Schrader, and a 7th grade alum of the program Freya Colville. Have...

(J. Stephen Conn / Flickr Creative Commons)   Idaho Fish and Game just reopened steelhead fishing along the Clearwater River after dismal returns last year. Closing fisheries for a season helps grow fish stocks which is important for ecology and ensures future seasons will be very fishable.  But what happens in small towns whose economies rely on fishing? We talk with Roy Akins who owns Rapid Rive...

(Jobs For Felons Hub / Flickr Creative Commons)   The ACLU of Idaho has long lobbied for change in criminal justice, urging officials to take a closer look at things like mandatory minimums, prison overcrowding and employment opportunities after folks serve their time. The group has a new statewide report they'll use to try and convince lawmakers to reform the criminal justice system. Have a quest...

(Michael Dwyer / AP Images) When you think of Alzheimer's, you think of plaque. For 30 years, clumps of these proteins have been suspected of causing the memory loss that comes with Alzheimer’s. But at least three new studies say those plaques might not be the driving force behind the disease. That could affect how we diagnose and treat it. Dr. Troy Rohn of Boise State University joins Idaho Matte...

(Winston Moore)   Winston Moore is an Idaho angler who has been making fishing history for over 80 years. In that time, he’s developed new techniques for catching trout and remembers a time when he’d be the only fisherman on miles and miles of beach. He joins Idaho Matters ahead of his Thursday evening lecture at 6:30 p.m. at St. Alphonsus in Boise.  Have a question or comment for the show? Tweet ...

(Peter Devin / LED) Idaho's LED performance group was just named one of Dance Magazine's 2020  "25 to Watch list."  The group formed in 2015 fusing original music with fresh choreography. LED co-founders Lauren Edson and Andrew Stensaas join  Idaho Matters  to talk about the recent honor.  Have a question or comment for the show? Tweet  @KBSX915  using #IdahoMatters    

(Otto Kitsinger / AP) Monday, Governor Brad Little gave his annual State of the State address at the Idaho capitol. The Republican laid out his vision for the new year in a forty-minute speech.  But now, it's up to Republican and Democratic lawmakers to decide what to do with his proposals. James Dawson covers the statehouse for us and helps Idaho Matters break down the speech, and their response...

(Kelsey Grey / Idaho Statesman)   In 2006, Ada County officials permitted a development of 800 acres in the Eagle foothills. At the time, the planned community ordinance allowed for urban-style development outside city limits. Fast forward more than a decade, and the Avimor development is at the center of debate about further growth. Now, the question is whether to develop the 23,000 acres it owns...

(KUOW 94.9 Public Radio / Flickr Creative Commons)   Nancy Pearl is a librarian, best-selling author and literary critic. Her reading and knowledge of books and literature first gained her recognition in Seattle, where she regularly appears on local public radio recommending books. She achieved in broader fame with Book Lust , her 2003 guide to good reading. She was named the 2011 Librarian of the...

(IDeal)   The cost of college education keeps going up. Idaho tries to mitigate that cost with a state-sponsored 529 college savings program. It’s called IDeal and it has shifted over time to better help future students and their families save for higher education. IDeal’s executive director Christie Stoll joins Idaho Matters  shares details on a new national campaign to help families start saving...

(NPR) This interview orginally aired Dec. 9, 2019.    NPR reporter Kirk Siegler has spent the last few years investigating the urban-rural divide in the western United States. He's just moved from Los Angeles to set up in Boise so he can move closer to his reporting. He talks with  Idaho Matters  about the stories he hopes to tell from here. Have a question or comment for the show? Tweet  @KBSX915...

(BRONCO BEAM) This interview orginally aired Dec. 9, 2019.    Three Boise State students are helping the problem of food insecurity and waste with a modern solution: they built an app.  Bronco BEAM  gives alerts to users whenever there is extra food from events around campus -- food that otherwise would be thrown away.  Idaho Matters  speaks with the three developers to find out why they decided t...

(Otto Kitsinger / AP Images)   It’s been more than a year since Governor Brad Little took his oath of office on the steps of the Capitol. The rancher and longtime elected official told the crowd that day that his goal would be to “reflect shared Idaho values.” As he prepares for his second year as Idaho’s top leader, Idaho Matters sat down with him.   Have a question or comment for the show? Tweet...

(ETHAN WEBBER / BOISE STATE PUBLIC RADIO) From Medicaid to Boise Mayor Dave Bieter's exit, the Reporter Roundtable brings you the biggest headlines of the week — and what to expect heading into the legislative session. For this first Roundtable of 2020, we're joined by reporters James Dawson of Boise State Public Radio , Margaret Carmel with the Idaho Press and Scott McIntosh of the Idaho Statesma...

(Ryan Wick / Flickr Creative Commons) Telling the story of our universe is one of the main roles of astronomers.  Idaho Matters talks with astronomer J.A. Grier of the Planetary Science Institute, who specializes in impact craters. Besides telling the story of the cosmos, the scientist writes science fiction and poetry in her spare time. You can catch her free lecture Friday at 7:30 p.m. at Boise...

(Jude Matsalla / Flickr Creative Commons)   Last summer, the Trump administration announced a rule change that would have penalized people applying for green cards if they used public benefit programs.  This rule is currently blocked in federal courts. But as Boise State Public Radio’s Rachel Cohen reports, advocates across Idaho have been working to make sure the announcement doesn’t stop immigra...

(Tony Gutierrez / AP Images)   Cybersecurity is an in-demand industry in Idaho and beyond. In response to that need, Boise State University is launching a new online cyber security certificate. The university is partnering with organizations including the Idaho National Laboratory to secure the funding through a state grant. To learn more, Idaho Matters speaks with the Sin Ming Loo of Boise State...

(Frankie Barnhill / Boise State Public Radio)   Idaho author Alan Minksoff first made his 24-town tour of the Gem State in the 1970s. He went back to these small towns last year to write his book “The Idaho Traveler.” Centered around interviews with locals, he brings readers from town to town sharing insider knowledge on the best drives, sights and food the state has to offer. He shares memorable...

(VIA FACEBOOK)   This interview orginally aired Dec. 18, 2019.    Idaho Parents Unlimited provides many services to folks with disabilities. One of their programs, called "Work of Art" allows corporations to decorate their offices with art from people in the program.  Idaho Matters  talks with program coordinators about this unique oppportunity.  Have a question or comment for the show? Tweet  @KB...

(Nate Hegyi / KRCC) Follow along as two Mountain West News Bureau reporters share cultural holiday cooking traditions from across the region. Madelyn Beck of Boise State Public Radio takes Idaho Matters up close with Basque food in Idaho and Nate Hegyi of KRCC joins Montana hunters as they cook up an elk-filled twist on an eastern European classic.  Have a question or comment for the show? Tweet ...